bonzai

Background info: I'm an American. I'm planning/saving up for a trip around the world. I have all American Airline/U.S. Airways Miles thus far. But since a lot of my points of travel go from one European destination to another (or one Asian destination to another), I'm going to end up using American Airlines partners like Finnair.

Now I know I can use my AA miles to pay for those, but is there any way to earn strictly Finnair miles as an American? Ways besides actually doing the flying? Like credit card offers? But wouldn't they be European cards? Can an American get a European credit card? Probably not … God, I know nothing. Please help?

guv1976

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The best thing to do is look at the English version of Finnair's website to see the various ways of earning Finnair miles. But I'm not sure what the benefit would be over using AA miles. For short/medium-haul trips in and out of London, redeeming BA Avios for a "Reward Flight Saver" can be a very good deal. BA Avios can also be redeemed on Air Berlin flights with no surcharges.

Several U.S. issued credit cards can earn BA Avios -- either directly, or by conversion.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

And welcome to FT!

remymartin

bonzai,

With so many great signup / churning opportunities on that side of the pond (USDM, AAdvantage), forget about AY points

intuition

Welcome to Flyertalk, and the Finnair forum, Bonzai!

Finnair programme is geared heavily towards flyers, especially those flying Finnair in business class. While possible to earn points using credit card, booking hotels and cars, flying economy and flying OW partners all those activities earn comparably little.

Could you explain a little more in detail why you want to earn AY+ points?

Mwenenzi

Yes. It is an unusal request
Hard to go past AA for long haul awards. BA is good for short haul but be very aware of BA surcharges

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...structure.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html

aster

Hi, and welcome to FT! ^

Is there a particular reason why you need to have Finnair miles in particular? Are you planning on saving up for an award ticket that will take you around the world? Or are you planning each segment separately and intend to use the Finnair miles to get to Europe and/or from there to Asia?

As far as CCs are concerned, I do not think you will be able to pick up a foreign credit card if you do not live and work in that particular country.

WilcoRoger

I think the OP will find that many members of the board prefer to credit their AY flights to AA or to BA - simply because they are more rewarding and their earn/burn ratio is better - in AA's case much better. Also the cash portion ("tax") of redemptions is worse than AA and even than BA on short haul. Using AY points on partner flights is approaching the level of daylight robbery.

There are two scenarios where you might want to credit to AY+. If you are mainly in paid Y and want to upgrade to C or if you fly a lot in longhaul C (there AY is really rewarding)

A lot depends on each member's particular flying pattern, redemption pattern and priorities (status, reward flights, etc)

My pattern would just make me OWS with AY+ but takes me well over OWE with BAEC.

As for CC earning - check your Amex, they might be MR partners with AY. The Finnish Amex is (5MR = 4AY+), the Finnish co-branded Diners rate is 1€=2AY+. To get either card you need to have Finnish residency/social security number and income.

NoWindowSeat

Let me steal this topic (which really isn't that specific anyway) as I do not want to start new one for quick question.

I haven't qualified for a higher level in AY Plus for some years..it's been more sliding the hill from Plat since jumping over to BA. Anyway, now I'm about to hit new tier also with AY (Gold) some 10-12 days prior to my qual. period ends. Question: will I get upgrade vouchers for the remainder of the qual. period? (I already know I need to use them soon, if I get them..)

Thanks

intuition

Yes you will. You will see them having expiration the same as your membership year.

remymartin

It's been almost one week since OP posted his first post, and no posts since. This thread looks dead from OP's perspective.

NoWindowSeat

Thanks, intuition, greatly appreciated!

intuition

No worries.

(This voucher behaviour started with the revamp of AY+ in 2009. My personal knowledge is also that old, but I have seen newer members say it is still like that. )

WilcoRoger

Well, he got exact answers to his questions early on, since then it's been just chattering away

Courmisch

In my experience, the vouchers become valid at the beginning of the month following after obtaining status. So if you are only 2-3 weeks to the end of the period, you loose (it happened to me once).